A Lief Of Depressions

“But they still hate me, anyways.”

“Mmm. I think I can help with that…”

“You don’t mean…”

The last thing Starlight remembered seeing was a blinding flash of light as the portal-orb exploded. Nothing else up to that point, she thought she was dead. But yet, somehow, Starlight awoke to a dark, starry night with a campfire crackling against the dead of night. It took Starlight a moment to refocus herself and remember everything that had happened. Once she did, she realized that her forehead was bandaged severely. She also noticed that there was a figure sitting near the fire, appearing to mutter something.

“...Trixie?”  Starlight lifted herself up slightly.

The figure turned around. He was a deep black, holes in his hooves, with cyan eyes that penetrated the night.

Realizing it was a changeling, she yawned and fell back down.

The nameless changeling walked over to Starlight and looked at her. He then turned to Trixie, who also had a bandage on her forehead, looking considerably more damaged, but otherwise fine. The nameless changeling simply nodded and went back to the campfire to stare at it. Starlight heard him mutter, “Well, I better prepare myself for a bombardment of questions tomorrow.” and Starlight closed her eyes and fell asleep. Before drifting off, however, she noticed a set of binoculars on a log next to the changeling. She was too tired to care, though, and quickly fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Starlight awoke to the same changeling from the night before nudging her awake. “Wake up. We need to get moving.”

Starlight rubbed her eyes as she rose from a slumber. She looked up at the changeling, who was unwrapping the bandages from her head. “You recovered from that explosion quickly.”

Starlight didn’t say anything as she got up and stood up on all four hooves with some difficulty. The changeling then turned around to Trixie, who had just awoken. The changeling looked at them both, turned around, and walked to an opening that appeared to lead to a clearing. He waited patiently as Starlight and Trixie rose and walked over with a bit of difficulty--over to the changeling.

With binoculars around his neck, he walked to the end of the opening into the clearing.

Trixie and Starlight stared at the changeling, not sure if they could trust him or not. They looked at each other for a few moments before deciding that, hey, we’ve got nowhere else to go. So the two trotted off and followed the changeling, with some difficulty, but still keeping up nonetheless.

“It’s almost halfway charged, sir.” said a blue android, talking to Nano, who was now donning a purple cape, and Buttermoon.

“Absolutely excellent.” Said Nano, looking up to the mothership that hung now over Canterlot. “No resistances formed at all?”

“None that we can note or track down, sir.”

As Nano and the android continued to talk, Buttermoon looked around as he saw a ring of dark clouds circling around Canterlot, with a giant portal that had numerous troops coming in like some alien invasion. Actually, it was exactly that, an alien invasion. The town below was a fortified warbase, and the cloud city above him had become more cannon fodder for the mothership to suck in and use for fuel, the rainbows proving most effective. He sighed, wondering why he was even talked into this in the first place. Then, he remembered.

“But they still hate me, anyways. I was dragged along with that cold, heartless soldier, and since I was his accomplice, I took equal blame when he finally fell. Called me a coward in his final words.” Buttermoon sighed.

“Mmm, I think I can help with that.” Said the large, dark stone giant as he walked back into the dark hallway.

Buttermoon looked at the barren castle. No windows except for some above him, and six large pillars circling it.

The large stone giant returned with something in his hand. It was softly beating, the only sound besides it was the echoes of the corridors.

“You don’t mean you’re going to…”

“Yes, Buttermoon. This has proven largely effective. No one has been able to regret their choices with the dark heart. When I put this in, you will be under the control of whoever you are matched up next.”

Buttermoon’s insides flopped as he backed up. “Sir, I don’t think that this is a necessary course of acti--”

“Horsedung, Buttermoon. You joined this guild for one reason: To destroy and serve. That is, and that will always be your prime directive. I don’t care how “young” you are. You will serve us with your life. Understood?”

Buttermoon began to nod, and then quickly dashed off towards one of the looming corridors.

“FLOATERS!” the giant screamed. Suddenly, a horde of sixty or so figures cloaked in white and blood red holding weapons like swords and scythes suddenly appeared out of nowhere, lighting up the room with simply their appearance.

“We’ve got a traitor here! Get out there and stick this in him.” the giant shouted, holding up the heart. One of the floaters took the heart, wincing the tiniest bit. It rallied up all the troops in the center, and then split them all off into different corridors.

“Buttermoon?” Nano was waving his hand in front of Buttermoon’s face as he stared off into the distance.

“Oh, yeah?” Buttermoon shook his head.

“We’re getting on one of the troopships to fly to Taco Bell to celebrate our success so far. Wanna come?”

Buttermoon, seeking to cure the traumatic flashback he had just had, nodded and followed Nano into the troopship. Once everyone was inside, the ship blasted off towards the sky and into the far reaches of somewhere else. While every troop and every android buzzed about everything they’d done that day, Buttermoon just sat in the corner, doing nothing.

Nano, noticing Buttermoon’s sulking, went over and sat down next to him.

“Hey, Butters, you okay?”

Buttermoon lifted his head up slightly. “Ah, I’m fine. Just…thinking about stuff.”

Nano, sensing the discomfort in his words, put his arm around Buttermoon’s neck. “Hey, dude, just because I’m the villain of this fanfiction doesn’t mean I’m any less of a caring person. If something’s troubling you, just let me know. I haven’t made you do something you didn’t want to, did I?”

“You made me send bees out on a town.” Buttermon chuckled.

“I accidentally did that. Once I realized my mistake, well, it was too hilarious to stop. I didn’t know you did until way later due to the heart thing.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks, Nano. You’re the first one I’ve worked with who isn’t extremely one-dimensional.”

Nano got up. “Eh. No problem, talking horse.”

“Okay. Thanks, bobblehead.” Buttermoon stretched his hooves. “Oi, we’re almost there.”

After getting everyone’s orders, the troopship floated into the drivethrough. Nano opened the window and peered his head outside.

“Hello, welcome to Taco Bell, what can I get you today?”

Nano looked at the list he made with all the gathered troop’s orders. “Alright, I’ll have two number nines…”